1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to voting systems and, more particularly, to a ballot processing system that tabulates the voting selections marked on paper ballots.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of different types of voting equipment are used in the United States and throughout the world. In many jurisdictions, a voter receives a paper ballot on which is printed the various races to be voted on. The voter votes by darkening or otherwise marking the appropriate mark spaces on the paper ballot. The marked paper ballot may then be dropped in a ballot box, whereby the paper ballots accumulated in the ballot box are transferred to a central election office for tabulation. At the central election office, a central ballot counter is used to scan and tabulate the voting selections marked on paper ballots received from various polling locations. Typically, the central ballot counter is relatively large, requires a significant amount of floor space within the central election office, and is difficult to move or transport to a different location.